Glass Menageries
Jennifer Byers
About this work:
The collection of poems featured in this song cycle are original. The cycle is a haunting depiction of a young girl's early experiences and is in fact auto-biographical. It is a highly emotional and evocative work encompassing joy, satire, romance, suicide and spiritual. It has an incidental relationship to the character Laura in Tennessee Williams "Glass Menagerie" since both composer and character lived in the deep south in their youth.
Poetry excerpt: "Wild trees dance in a slow stupor. Dance you now to the ancient lilts..."
"In a gentle rocking, we greet the moon. Where once we stood naked, before her now joined she engulfs us..."
"Now whisper dear, from the grave, lead us where you have strayed..."
"Soft rustle of unfallen leaves, all life awakens to Salem."
Version: solo voice/chamber ensemble
Year composed: 2004
Duration: 12:00:80
Ensemble type: Voice, Solo or With Chamber or Jazz Ensemble:Voice with Chamber/Jazz Ensemble, 6-9 Players
Instrumentation: ,1 Flute soloist(s), ,1 Clarinet soloist(s), 2 Violin, ,1 Viola soloist(s), ,1 Cello soloist(s), ,1 Double bass soloist(s), ,1 Harp soloist(s), ,1 Low Voice soloist(s)